This morning began with a quick trip to the local grocery store, Albertson's, for fresh fruit, flavored waters, salad fixings, napkins, paper towels and a bunch of other stuff. By 9:30 I was back home and visiting with the Original Jersey Boys, Tony Soprano and his associates.
At 10 a.m., Helen encouraged me to hit the Strip and rebound from yesterday's losing session. I really was reluctant, since I didn't want to lose again. But Helen's confidence in me made the difference. I made the 8-mile drive to the Strip and parked at Bill's Gambling Hall. My plan was to play very conservatively - $5 bets until I felt a winning streak under way. That worked immediately. I played at Bill's for about 30 minutes and walked away $76 up. A great way to start the trip!
I considered not playing any more, but it was not even noon yet and Helen didn't expect me home until 5 p.m. So I walked down to the Imperial Palace where I immediately lost $40.
My next stop was O'Shea's where I bought in for $60 and played for about 3 hours at a $5 table and went up and down, up and down. Players came and went and I hung in there. One group of players was a group of students from the University of Delaware - Blue Hens - on Spring Break.
Another guy in a cowboy hat and boots was a rancher from Calgary, Alberta. He said people saw his hat and immediately thought he was from Texas. He set 'em straight.
Eventually, I cashed out for $104 - a profit of $44 - and it was time to head home. So for the day, my profit was $76-40+44 = $80. A nice rebound from yesterday.
On the way home, I stopped by the Middle Eastern Market and picked up fresh pita bread, hummus, Greek feta cheese and Kalamata Olives. That made a tasty, no-muss-no-fuss dinner.
While I was gone, Helen did some emailing, watched TV and continued reading her mystery book.
She's still reading now, while I get this blog posted. Tomorrow is another day in Vegas, Baby, and I'm sure our adventure will continue...
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
A Temporary Setback
I had high hopes when I started out today. After all, I had two winning hoops tickets to cash (totalling $107.70) and thought it might be a good day to win at either poker or blackjack.
My first stop was the Suncoast where I had a 6-team teaser ticket worth $60. I cashed the ticket, then drove to Bally's where I parked and walked down to the Paris sports book to cash in a $47.70 ticket from MSU's win over Kansas. Then I headed into Bally's to check out the poker action. Things there were dead, so I played a little blackjack - losing $50.
So I walked over the Bill's Gambling Hall, but didn't play there. I walked down the Strip, checking the poker action at both Flamingo and Imperial Palace. Nothing looked good, so I settled in at Harrah's for some blackjack. I played at 2 different tables, losing $60 in the process. Then I realized I had left my cellphone in the car, so I hiked all the way back to Bally's to grab the phone, in case Helen had called. But she hadn't, so I pocketed the phone and went to the Nosh snack bar to grab a chicken salad on rye for lunch.
I was not happy with the way the day was going, so I decided to head to the Suncoast for some blackjack there. I'd often had some good luck there, but not today. That trip cost me another $50 and after that I headed home. The $160 setback was one of the worst of the trip and pretty disheartening. I'm still way ahead for the trip, but it still bothers me to lose that much on one day.
Tonight for dinner, I whipped up some hefty salads with organic baby greens, mushrooms, roma
tomatoes, feta cheese, corn and black beans. A quick, light meal.
While I was gone, Helen did some laundry, watched TV, did some emailing and read. Tonight we're just watching TV and relaxing...but tomorrow our adventure will continue...
My first stop was the Suncoast where I had a 6-team teaser ticket worth $60. I cashed the ticket, then drove to Bally's where I parked and walked down to the Paris sports book to cash in a $47.70 ticket from MSU's win over Kansas. Then I headed into Bally's to check out the poker action. Things there were dead, so I played a little blackjack - losing $50.
So I walked over the Bill's Gambling Hall, but didn't play there. I walked down the Strip, checking the poker action at both Flamingo and Imperial Palace. Nothing looked good, so I settled in at Harrah's for some blackjack. I played at 2 different tables, losing $60 in the process. Then I realized I had left my cellphone in the car, so I hiked all the way back to Bally's to grab the phone, in case Helen had called. But she hadn't, so I pocketed the phone and went to the Nosh snack bar to grab a chicken salad on rye for lunch.
I was not happy with the way the day was going, so I decided to head to the Suncoast for some blackjack there. I'd often had some good luck there, but not today. That trip cost me another $50 and after that I headed home. The $160 setback was one of the worst of the trip and pretty disheartening. I'm still way ahead for the trip, but it still bothers me to lose that much on one day.
Tonight for dinner, I whipped up some hefty salads with organic baby greens, mushrooms, roma
tomatoes, feta cheese, corn and black beans. A quick, light meal.
While I was gone, Helen did some laundry, watched TV, did some emailing and read. Tonight we're just watching TV and relaxing...but tomorrow our adventure will continue...
Friday, March 27, 2009
Sparty On!
Since I lost some money to a bunch of poker-playing touristas yesterday, I was determined to hit the Strip and recover my lost cash.
So by 9 a.m. I was pulling into the fifth floor of the parking deck at Bally's and making my way toward the poker room. It was pretty quiet and I was able to grab a seat at the only $1-2 No Limit game that was under way. I bought in for $100 and for the first 20-30 minutes I patiently waited for decent starting cards. Then I picked up a couple of small ($20-ish) pots and was able to keep my stack in the profit range.
There were really no big hands for me for the next couple of hours. I would win some small pots with a pair of Kings and a pair of Aces. Eventually, I was up $62 when I took a break to eat around 1:30 p.m. Lunch was a comped chicken salad on rye, along with a diet Pepsi. I was glad to leave the game because there were three mouthy 20-something guys who were trying to intimidate other players and even the dealers - complaining loudly when they lost, berating others for playing decent starting hands. Just being jerks. So I had no trouble taking my profit and leaving.
While killing time, I watched some action at a blackjack table where 3 players were playing. One hand stood out. A guy was routinely betting $50 to $100 and winning more than he lost. On one hand he bet $130 and got 8-8 against a dealer's 7. He split the 8s and received a 3rd 8. So now he had 3 bets of $130 each. On his next card he received ANOTHER 8!!! Four bets of $130 each. On his eights he got an Ace (for a 19) a Ten (for 18) a 5 and 7 (for 20) and a King (for 18). He made four decent hands!!
The dealer flipped over a nine in the hole, for 16. Then slapped on a 7 for a bust! The table erupted and the guy was high-fiving everyone in sight!! It was big fun to see someone win $520 on a single hand...
Then, I went to the sports book to get some hoops bets down. I put $25 on a teaser with North Carolina -3, Arizona +14 and Syracuse +6 - a loser...but I also put $25 on MSU -1 over Kansas and that was a winner.
So my profit for the day was $12 in poker and $47 in hoops bets for a total of $59. Not a bad day!
While I was gone, Helen put a lot of work in on her sewing project. She was also online emailing family. To celebrate our profit today, we ordered pizza and chicken wings from Papa John's. Tasty....
Tomorrow night we're thinking of hitting the Strip in the evening to see the Mirage volcano and the TI Pirate show - both are FREE attractions that we haven't seen yet. So it's pretty certain that our adventure will continue...
So by 9 a.m. I was pulling into the fifth floor of the parking deck at Bally's and making my way toward the poker room. It was pretty quiet and I was able to grab a seat at the only $1-2 No Limit game that was under way. I bought in for $100 and for the first 20-30 minutes I patiently waited for decent starting cards. Then I picked up a couple of small ($20-ish) pots and was able to keep my stack in the profit range.
There were really no big hands for me for the next couple of hours. I would win some small pots with a pair of Kings and a pair of Aces. Eventually, I was up $62 when I took a break to eat around 1:30 p.m. Lunch was a comped chicken salad on rye, along with a diet Pepsi. I was glad to leave the game because there were three mouthy 20-something guys who were trying to intimidate other players and even the dealers - complaining loudly when they lost, berating others for playing decent starting hands. Just being jerks. So I had no trouble taking my profit and leaving.
While killing time, I watched some action at a blackjack table where 3 players were playing. One hand stood out. A guy was routinely betting $50 to $100 and winning more than he lost. On one hand he bet $130 and got 8-8 against a dealer's 7. He split the 8s and received a 3rd 8. So now he had 3 bets of $130 each. On his next card he received ANOTHER 8!!! Four bets of $130 each. On his eights he got an Ace (for a 19) a Ten (for 18) a 5 and 7 (for 20) and a King (for 18). He made four decent hands!!
The dealer flipped over a nine in the hole, for 16. Then slapped on a 7 for a bust! The table erupted and the guy was high-fiving everyone in sight!! It was big fun to see someone win $520 on a single hand...
Then, I went to the sports book to get some hoops bets down. I put $25 on a teaser with North Carolina -3, Arizona +14 and Syracuse +6 - a loser...but I also put $25 on MSU -1 over Kansas and that was a winner.
So my profit for the day was $12 in poker and $47 in hoops bets for a total of $59. Not a bad day!
While I was gone, Helen put a lot of work in on her sewing project. She was also online emailing family. To celebrate our profit today, we ordered pizza and chicken wings from Papa John's. Tasty....
Tomorrow night we're thinking of hitting the Strip in the evening to see the Mirage volcano and the TI Pirate show - both are FREE attractions that we haven't seen yet. So it's pretty certain that our adventure will continue...
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Those Tourists Took My Money!!!
I hadn't played poker in a few days, so early this morning I headed to the Strip to tangle with the tourists at the MGM Grand.
Traffic on Tropicana Blvd. was backed up as I neared the Strip. As I got closer, I could see that the usually fast-moving three lanes on Trop were narrowed down to two because of some roadwork right at the intersection of Trop and Las Vegas Blvd. Finally, I made it through the snarl and pulled into the MGM parking deck.
As I walked toward the poker room, the casino seemed a little quiet for 10 a.m. On the other hand, the poker room was a bit busy - four tables going. I signed up for a new $1-2 No Limit game that they were starting and I was able to get my lucky #1 seat. After buying in for $100, I settled in to play and had some early luck. I won a couple of small pots and was up about $30.
Unfortunately, that was my high point. I didn't get many good hands and when I did, they were second best. I had a Full House of 3 9s and 2 jacks get beaten by a Full House of 3 Jacks and 2 9s. Also, I had a nice King High flush beaten by a full house.
Despite losing my $100 buy-in, I had a good time. All the players were friendly tourist types - 3 buddies from Wisconsin playing together at the same table. One guy from London, England. and a couple of guys from Colorado. Fun, but financially a loss.
While I was gone, Helen was online with relatives and working on her sewing project. When I got home, I warmed up some Chili and that made a hearty dinner. Tonight we'll be watching the NBC Comedy shows and checking on some NCAA Hoops Games. Tomorrow night the Spartans play and we'll be rooting for MSU. Til then , our adventure continues...
Traffic on Tropicana Blvd. was backed up as I neared the Strip. As I got closer, I could see that the usually fast-moving three lanes on Trop were narrowed down to two because of some roadwork right at the intersection of Trop and Las Vegas Blvd. Finally, I made it through the snarl and pulled into the MGM parking deck.
As I walked toward the poker room, the casino seemed a little quiet for 10 a.m. On the other hand, the poker room was a bit busy - four tables going. I signed up for a new $1-2 No Limit game that they were starting and I was able to get my lucky #1 seat. After buying in for $100, I settled in to play and had some early luck. I won a couple of small pots and was up about $30.
Unfortunately, that was my high point. I didn't get many good hands and when I did, they were second best. I had a Full House of 3 9s and 2 jacks get beaten by a Full House of 3 Jacks and 2 9s. Also, I had a nice King High flush beaten by a full house.
Despite losing my $100 buy-in, I had a good time. All the players were friendly tourist types - 3 buddies from Wisconsin playing together at the same table. One guy from London, England. and a couple of guys from Colorado. Fun, but financially a loss.
While I was gone, Helen was online with relatives and working on her sewing project. When I got home, I warmed up some Chili and that made a hearty dinner. Tonight we'll be watching the NBC Comedy shows and checking on some NCAA Hoops Games. Tomorrow night the Spartans play and we'll be rooting for MSU. Til then , our adventure continues...
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
A Night With The 'Jersey Boys'
Today began with our usual morning ritual of several cups of coffee, rye toast with strawberry preserves and catching up on the TV news.
About 9:30 I took Helen to her Bible Study Class and headed over to the Suncoast for an hour or so. I checked out the sports book and saw no intriguing wagers, so I strolled over to the blackjack pit and sat down at a $5 table. Within a few hands I was up about $30 and after about 30 minutes I was up $50 or so. But then I hit a bad run of cards and eventually walked away with a profit of $27. Not great, but still a profit.
Then I picked up Helen after her class and we returned to the apartment where I made us some turkey & muenster on pita bread sandwiches. Then she worked on her sewing project and I did some reading and facebooking.
I also got a phone call from a high school buddy, Dave Waibel, who is organizing a get together at his winter home in Arizona. His main residence is Seattle. He's invited a half dozen Taylor Center grads to meet at his place April 1-4. I originally was planning to attend, but have decided not to go. Anyway, we had a great talk and promised to stay in touch. Dave expects to retire at end of 2009 and said he may make a trip to Vegas next winter.
Last night was one of the highlights of our winter as Helen and I went to see "Jersey Boys," the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, at the Palazzo. I'm not much of a fan of musicals, but this one was OUTSTANDING!!! Not only did it have great music, but it told the story behind one of the best musical groups ever. Very interesting story and the two-hour show went by very quickly. I highly encourage music lovers to see this show...
Before the show, Helen and I played a 25-cent slot machine at the Palazzo. I put $10 in and cashed out with $15.50!! Woohooo, a winner!
We also strolled through the shopping areas of the Palazzo and over to the Venetian Shops where we watched a show of jugglers, acrobats and an opera singer. Then we enjoyed dinner at the Grand Lux Cafe at the Palazzo. It's a quality eatery run by the Cheesecake Factory and noted for large, tasty portions. Helen opted for a Southwestern Chicken Salad, while I chose a Beef Tips Sloppy Joe (instead of ground beef, they used shredded beef on a hoagie bun) with french fries. Both very good and we were too full for desserts.
Tomorrow I plan to head to the Strip for a day of poker and a couple of NCAA Tourney wagers. It's a sure bet that our adventure will continue...
About 9:30 I took Helen to her Bible Study Class and headed over to the Suncoast for an hour or so. I checked out the sports book and saw no intriguing wagers, so I strolled over to the blackjack pit and sat down at a $5 table. Within a few hands I was up about $30 and after about 30 minutes I was up $50 or so. But then I hit a bad run of cards and eventually walked away with a profit of $27. Not great, but still a profit.
Then I picked up Helen after her class and we returned to the apartment where I made us some turkey & muenster on pita bread sandwiches. Then she worked on her sewing project and I did some reading and facebooking.
I also got a phone call from a high school buddy, Dave Waibel, who is organizing a get together at his winter home in Arizona. His main residence is Seattle. He's invited a half dozen Taylor Center grads to meet at his place April 1-4. I originally was planning to attend, but have decided not to go. Anyway, we had a great talk and promised to stay in touch. Dave expects to retire at end of 2009 and said he may make a trip to Vegas next winter.
Last night was one of the highlights of our winter as Helen and I went to see "Jersey Boys," the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, at the Palazzo. I'm not much of a fan of musicals, but this one was OUTSTANDING!!! Not only did it have great music, but it told the story behind one of the best musical groups ever. Very interesting story and the two-hour show went by very quickly. I highly encourage music lovers to see this show...
Before the show, Helen and I played a 25-cent slot machine at the Palazzo. I put $10 in and cashed out with $15.50!! Woohooo, a winner!
We also strolled through the shopping areas of the Palazzo and over to the Venetian Shops where we watched a show of jugglers, acrobats and an opera singer. Then we enjoyed dinner at the Grand Lux Cafe at the Palazzo. It's a quality eatery run by the Cheesecake Factory and noted for large, tasty portions. Helen opted for a Southwestern Chicken Salad, while I chose a Beef Tips Sloppy Joe (instead of ground beef, they used shredded beef on a hoagie bun) with french fries. Both very good and we were too full for desserts.
Tomorrow I plan to head to the Strip for a day of poker and a couple of NCAA Tourney wagers. It's a sure bet that our adventure will continue...
Monday, March 23, 2009
A Day of Errands
Today was devoted to completing those daily tasks that are necessary to keep a household running.
Helen needed several things, so we rolled out to Wal-Mart at 10 a.m., but not until we savored several cups of coffee and spent an enjoyable hour with the noted philosopher/gangster Anthony Soprano.
As we rolled into the Wal-Mart parking lot, I searched in vain for a handicapped parking spot. Finally, Helen spotted one. Seems like all of the handicapped spots get taken early, I mused aloud. Helen noted that Wal-Mart seems to attract older people who often have handicapped plates.
"Older people," I wondered, "then what the heck are we doing here?"
We managed to find everything Helen needed and within an hour or so we were heading back to the apartment. I whipped up a couple of turkey-&-cheddar-on-pita-bread sandwiches and Helen prepared to spend time with those "Desperate Housewives" of Wisteria Lane. That was my cue to head to the bank to deposit a check and to visit Albertson's for some grocery shopping.
One spooky situation happened while I was shopping. I was standing in an aisle looking through the jellies & jams (trying to find one that's somewhat healthy) when suddenly two or three jars of pickles/relish fell from the shelves behind me. No one else was in the aisle, the darn things just toppled off the shelves and shattered on the floor. Glass and Gherkins everywhere! A worker was at the end of the aisle and quickly hurried over to clean it up. I have no idea why those jars fell, but it was sort of strange.
When I got home, I got caught up on some Facebook messages. Found out that there are big changes in the Booth Newspapers, including the imminent closing of the Ann Arbor News and limited publications of other papers. This is TERRIBLE news for several of my friends and former co-workers who write for Booth papers. I really hope they can all keep their jobs, but even then they may face pay cuts of up to 20 percent.
Tonight for dinner I prepared Five-Cheese Lasagna (thank you Stouffers) along with a side salad of organic baby greens, mushrooms, roma tomatoes, Greek feta cheese, and kalamata olives. Hearty and tasty!
Now we're watching some TV and relaxing, but tomorrow our adventure continues because we'll be attending the 6:30 show of "Jersey Boys" at the Palazzo on the Strip!
Helen needed several things, so we rolled out to Wal-Mart at 10 a.m., but not until we savored several cups of coffee and spent an enjoyable hour with the noted philosopher/gangster Anthony Soprano.
As we rolled into the Wal-Mart parking lot, I searched in vain for a handicapped parking spot. Finally, Helen spotted one. Seems like all of the handicapped spots get taken early, I mused aloud. Helen noted that Wal-Mart seems to attract older people who often have handicapped plates.
"Older people," I wondered, "then what the heck are we doing here?"
We managed to find everything Helen needed and within an hour or so we were heading back to the apartment. I whipped up a couple of turkey-&-cheddar-on-pita-bread sandwiches and Helen prepared to spend time with those "Desperate Housewives" of Wisteria Lane. That was my cue to head to the bank to deposit a check and to visit Albertson's for some grocery shopping.
One spooky situation happened while I was shopping. I was standing in an aisle looking through the jellies & jams (trying to find one that's somewhat healthy) when suddenly two or three jars of pickles/relish fell from the shelves behind me. No one else was in the aisle, the darn things just toppled off the shelves and shattered on the floor. Glass and Gherkins everywhere! A worker was at the end of the aisle and quickly hurried over to clean it up. I have no idea why those jars fell, but it was sort of strange.
When I got home, I got caught up on some Facebook messages. Found out that there are big changes in the Booth Newspapers, including the imminent closing of the Ann Arbor News and limited publications of other papers. This is TERRIBLE news for several of my friends and former co-workers who write for Booth papers. I really hope they can all keep their jobs, but even then they may face pay cuts of up to 20 percent.
Tonight for dinner I prepared Five-Cheese Lasagna (thank you Stouffers) along with a side salad of organic baby greens, mushrooms, roma tomatoes, Greek feta cheese, and kalamata olives. Hearty and tasty!
Now we're watching some TV and relaxing, but tomorrow our adventure continues because we'll be attending the 6:30 show of "Jersey Boys" at the Palazzo on the Strip!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
March Madness Day Three
Saturday is usually a busy day at Las Vegas casinos and March Madness makes it even busier.
For the third straight day, I headed to the Suncoast's March Madness party to take in the hoops action. My $25-Running-Parlay bet on Florida State lost last night, so Helen urged me to start another parlay...my choice today was Washington -2 over Purdue...it was a loser. But I did invest in a 3-team teaser with Michigan +13, Washington +3.5 and Western Ky +16.5. The first two have won and WKU is giving Gonzaga a tight battle in the second half, so our bet is looking good. It'll pay $150 when it hits.
The March Madness party room was abuzz today, but I sat alone and it wasn't as much fun as the first two days. No one sat near me to talk with about the games. It's a great venue, but the food was still below par. I mentioned that to one of the pit bosses and he said he's heard that several times...
Talked with my friend Terry in Detroit and he's made reservations at the Excalibur for April 19-22. He'll arrive around 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, the 19th, and flies home at 4 p.m. on Wednesday the 22. Air fare and 3 nights at the Ex for $410. A pretty sweet deal, since the airfare alone out of Detroit was going for almost $300, according to T. It'll be good to see him.
After about 4 hours of watching hoops, I wandered down to the blackjack pit. Should have stayed at the hoops party...no luck at all and I quickly burned through my $100 buy-in. After that I sat at a slot machine near the casino bar to watch the end of the U-M game.
I headed home about 5 p.m. and we decided dinner would be takeout from the Cheesecake Factory - BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad for Helen and Buffalo Wings & fries for me. While I was gone, Helen talked with her sister Natalie in TC. She also worked on her sewing project and watched some "Lifetime" specials on TV.
Now we're watching the Texas-Duke game and relaxing a bit, but tomorrow our adventure will continue...
For the third straight day, I headed to the Suncoast's March Madness party to take in the hoops action. My $25-Running-Parlay bet on Florida State lost last night, so Helen urged me to start another parlay...my choice today was Washington -2 over Purdue...it was a loser. But I did invest in a 3-team teaser with Michigan +13, Washington +3.5 and Western Ky +16.5. The first two have won and WKU is giving Gonzaga a tight battle in the second half, so our bet is looking good. It'll pay $150 when it hits.
The March Madness party room was abuzz today, but I sat alone and it wasn't as much fun as the first two days. No one sat near me to talk with about the games. It's a great venue, but the food was still below par. I mentioned that to one of the pit bosses and he said he's heard that several times...
Talked with my friend Terry in Detroit and he's made reservations at the Excalibur for April 19-22. He'll arrive around 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, the 19th, and flies home at 4 p.m. on Wednesday the 22. Air fare and 3 nights at the Ex for $410. A pretty sweet deal, since the airfare alone out of Detroit was going for almost $300, according to T. It'll be good to see him.
After about 4 hours of watching hoops, I wandered down to the blackjack pit. Should have stayed at the hoops party...no luck at all and I quickly burned through my $100 buy-in. After that I sat at a slot machine near the casino bar to watch the end of the U-M game.
I headed home about 5 p.m. and we decided dinner would be takeout from the Cheesecake Factory - BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad for Helen and Buffalo Wings & fries for me. While I was gone, Helen talked with her sister Natalie in TC. She also worked on her sewing project and watched some "Lifetime" specials on TV.
Now we're watching the Texas-Duke game and relaxing a bit, but tomorrow our adventure will continue...
Friday, March 20, 2009
March Madness Day Two
NCAA Hoops games kicked off shortly after 9 a.m. today, so I headed over to the Suncoast around 8:45.
Like yesterday, I headed right for the March Madness Party in the casino's second story ballroom. It was already hopping, with guys settling in for a full day of hoops viewing, eating, drinking, beer pong, free throw shooting, Wii basketball and wagering. Big fun for boys of all ages...
Starting with a $25 bet, I've been parlaying One-Bet-A-Day and today we bet $120 on the Florida State Seminoles -2.5 vs. Wisconsin. If they win tonight, the ticket will pay $229 and we'll be looking for a "SURE THING" for tomorrow's games...or we may take a chunk of profit and start over with $25 or $50.
During the early games, even the young guys didn't start drinking beer and I went to the buffet area to grab a coffee. I thought the coffee might be free, but they were charging $2 for a small styrofoam cup of java...way overpriced! The whole food selection and pricing, as I said in yesterday's blog, is too high for what the casino bills as a "March Madness Party." They should be offering 50-cent hotdogs, free soft drinks, free coffee, $1 sliders. Instead its $1 hotdogs (ironically down in the sports book they have a cart that sells them for 75 cents), $2 sliders, $2 coffee, $2 soft drinks and - if you don't have a drink ticket - $6 beers.
Anyway, between early games, I played a little blackjack and won $15 which went toward the hoops bet. After the later games, I played bj for another hour or so, dropping $40. That was my loss total for the day.
While I was at the 'Coast, Helen worked on her sewing project, watched some TV and finished the murder mystery she was reading. When I got home, I pulled together some of last night's spaghetti and a hefty side salad with organic baby greens, mushrooms, Greek feta cheese and roma tomatoes. I think we both ate too much...
Soon we'll be turning on the Florida State-Wisconsin game to track the fate of our live parlay wager....GO 'NOLES!!!!
Even if we lose, tomorrow our Las Vegas adventure continues...
Like yesterday, I headed right for the March Madness Party in the casino's second story ballroom. It was already hopping, with guys settling in for a full day of hoops viewing, eating, drinking, beer pong, free throw shooting, Wii basketball and wagering. Big fun for boys of all ages...
Starting with a $25 bet, I've been parlaying One-Bet-A-Day and today we bet $120 on the Florida State Seminoles -2.5 vs. Wisconsin. If they win tonight, the ticket will pay $229 and we'll be looking for a "SURE THING" for tomorrow's games...or we may take a chunk of profit and start over with $25 or $50.
During the early games, even the young guys didn't start drinking beer and I went to the buffet area to grab a coffee. I thought the coffee might be free, but they were charging $2 for a small styrofoam cup of java...way overpriced! The whole food selection and pricing, as I said in yesterday's blog, is too high for what the casino bills as a "March Madness Party." They should be offering 50-cent hotdogs, free soft drinks, free coffee, $1 sliders. Instead its $1 hotdogs (ironically down in the sports book they have a cart that sells them for 75 cents), $2 sliders, $2 coffee, $2 soft drinks and - if you don't have a drink ticket - $6 beers.
Anyway, between early games, I played a little blackjack and won $15 which went toward the hoops bet. After the later games, I played bj for another hour or so, dropping $40. That was my loss total for the day.
While I was at the 'Coast, Helen worked on her sewing project, watched some TV and finished the murder mystery she was reading. When I got home, I pulled together some of last night's spaghetti and a hefty side salad with organic baby greens, mushrooms, Greek feta cheese and roma tomatoes. I think we both ate too much...
Soon we'll be turning on the Florida State-Wisconsin game to track the fate of our live parlay wager....GO 'NOLES!!!!
Even if we lose, tomorrow our Las Vegas adventure continues...
Thursday, March 19, 2009
March Madness Day One
Las Vegas is abuzz with March Madness betting, parties and zaniness.
Since the first hoops games tip off at 9:20 a.m. or so, I headed over to the Suncoast about 8:30. The casino was hosting a March Madness party in one of the ballrooms, complete with several big-screen TVs, a buffet line, cheap beer and mixed drinks and on-site betting stations. It was really a convenient setup and I enjoyed watching the early games there.
The only complaint I had was about the food. You had to purchase food tickets, then cash them in for the food, which was a little pricey for something like this. They had hot dogs, chili dogs, nachos, chicken nuggets, pizza and sliders. I opted for the sliders (two to an order) and the run-of-the-mill nachos, similar to an order you'd get at a ballpark. That was $7.
I'm trying a new way of betting all of these games. Instead of throwing money all over the place, I'm focusing on one game per day and just betting that single game. For example, today's $25 bet was Texas - a winner that will return $47.70. So tomorrow, I'll take that $47.70 and put it all on one game. The plan is to keep parlaying winners until I run up a huge amount or chicken out and take down some profits, LOL!
If we win tomorrow, we'll have roughly $95 to put on a Saturday game, then $190 or so to put on a Sunday game....we'll see how this works out...
It was rough going at the blackjack tables. I went down over $100 before turning it around and finally grinding out a $16 profit. Between bj sessions, I played a little video poker and cashed out $22.50 after buying in for $20. So for the day, we're up $18.50.
I headed home about 4 p.m. and watched some more hoops at the apartment. While I was gone, Helen worked on her sewing project, talked to his sister Natalie, and did some reading. Tonight I whipped up a nice dinner, spaghetti with roasted red peppers. Now Helen is reading and I'm just catching up with some emails, etc. I boldly predict that within the hour, we'll be enjoying some butter pecan ice cream.
Lots more March Madness to come, so I know our adventure will continue...
After spending about two hours in the ballroom, I headed to the blackjack tables.
Since the first hoops games tip off at 9:20 a.m. or so, I headed over to the Suncoast about 8:30. The casino was hosting a March Madness party in one of the ballrooms, complete with several big-screen TVs, a buffet line, cheap beer and mixed drinks and on-site betting stations. It was really a convenient setup and I enjoyed watching the early games there.
The only complaint I had was about the food. You had to purchase food tickets, then cash them in for the food, which was a little pricey for something like this. They had hot dogs, chili dogs, nachos, chicken nuggets, pizza and sliders. I opted for the sliders (two to an order) and the run-of-the-mill nachos, similar to an order you'd get at a ballpark. That was $7.
I'm trying a new way of betting all of these games. Instead of throwing money all over the place, I'm focusing on one game per day and just betting that single game. For example, today's $25 bet was Texas - a winner that will return $47.70. So tomorrow, I'll take that $47.70 and put it all on one game. The plan is to keep parlaying winners until I run up a huge amount or chicken out and take down some profits, LOL!
If we win tomorrow, we'll have roughly $95 to put on a Saturday game, then $190 or so to put on a Sunday game....we'll see how this works out...
It was rough going at the blackjack tables. I went down over $100 before turning it around and finally grinding out a $16 profit. Between bj sessions, I played a little video poker and cashed out $22.50 after buying in for $20. So for the day, we're up $18.50.
I headed home about 4 p.m. and watched some more hoops at the apartment. While I was gone, Helen worked on her sewing project, talked to his sister Natalie, and did some reading. Tonight I whipped up a nice dinner, spaghetti with roasted red peppers. Now Helen is reading and I'm just catching up with some emails, etc. I boldly predict that within the hour, we'll be enjoying some butter pecan ice cream.
Lots more March Madness to come, so I know our adventure will continue...
After spending about two hours in the ballroom, I headed to the blackjack tables.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
A Minor Setback
Every Wednesday means Bible Study Class for Helen and a quick one-hour blackjack session at the Suncoast for me.
My blackjack effort didn't work out very well. Despite all good intentions, I dropped $35 in the hour. I also bought a $25 ticket on Texas -4 vs. Minnesota in tomorrow's NCAA Tourney. Hook 'Em Horns!!
At 11:30 I returned to the church to pick up Helen and we headed home for lunch - chicken salad on pita bread. Then it was time for Helen to see what was happening with those Wild Women of Wisteria Lane - my cue to head to Red Rock Casino and cash my winning hoops ticket from yesterday that pays $72.
On my way, I stopped by the library to return some books.
While at the Red Rock, I played some blackjack and had one of the worst sessions in recent weeks. I lost three $50 buy-ins - $150 gone in about an hour... So I returned to the Suncoast for one last shot at blackjack. I had about 90 minutes to turn a profit and it worked out very well. I ground out a $145 profit, so for the day I ended up minus $40. A pretty minor setback in light of my recent successes.
Tomorrow morning the Hoops Fun starts at 8 a.m. at the Suncoast. They have a huge ballroom with big screen TVs, remote betting stations, free food and cheap drinks. It'll be a great place to watch the games and I'll be over there early. The first game starts about 9:30 a.m. What a great day it could be!
While I was gone, Helen was napping and watching TV. When I got home, we decided dinner would be from Del Taco, a Mexican fast food place that we like. I had their "Macho Burrito" and Helen opted for the "Del Combo Burrito." It was tasty. Dessert was some butter pecan ice cream, topped with an organic jam of passion fruit, bananas and pineapple - Goooood!
Now we're watching "Dog, The Bounty Hunter" and relaxing. But tomorrow our adventure continues...
My blackjack effort didn't work out very well. Despite all good intentions, I dropped $35 in the hour. I also bought a $25 ticket on Texas -4 vs. Minnesota in tomorrow's NCAA Tourney. Hook 'Em Horns!!
At 11:30 I returned to the church to pick up Helen and we headed home for lunch - chicken salad on pita bread. Then it was time for Helen to see what was happening with those Wild Women of Wisteria Lane - my cue to head to Red Rock Casino and cash my winning hoops ticket from yesterday that pays $72.
On my way, I stopped by the library to return some books.
While at the Red Rock, I played some blackjack and had one of the worst sessions in recent weeks. I lost three $50 buy-ins - $150 gone in about an hour... So I returned to the Suncoast for one last shot at blackjack. I had about 90 minutes to turn a profit and it worked out very well. I ground out a $145 profit, so for the day I ended up minus $40. A pretty minor setback in light of my recent successes.
Tomorrow morning the Hoops Fun starts at 8 a.m. at the Suncoast. They have a huge ballroom with big screen TVs, remote betting stations, free food and cheap drinks. It'll be a great place to watch the games and I'll be over there early. The first game starts about 9:30 a.m. What a great day it could be!
While I was gone, Helen was napping and watching TV. When I got home, we decided dinner would be from Del Taco, a Mexican fast food place that we like. I had their "Macho Burrito" and Helen opted for the "Del Combo Burrito." It was tasty. Dessert was some butter pecan ice cream, topped with an organic jam of passion fruit, bananas and pineapple - Goooood!
Now we're watching "Dog, The Bounty Hunter" and relaxing. But tomorrow our adventure continues...
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Rockin' at Red Rock
Our morning started with several cups of black coffee and watching TV news gab about how "Everybody's Irish" today. Enough of that drivel, let's go do something!
So Helen and I headed out the door about 10 a.m. to visit Jo-Ann Fabrics where she wanted to buy some lace trim, ribbon and other items for the two nightgowns she is making for granddaughter Katherine. It's about 10 miles from the apartment. That trip took about 90 minutes and by the time we got home lunch was high on our agenda. I whipped up chicken salad sandwiches for us. Helen settled in to watch her two-hour block of "Desperate Housewives" from noon to 2 p.m.
That was my clue to head over to the Red Rock casino to check out the sports book and blackjack action. I settled in at a $10 table and went up and down and down and down, then up and up and up. Eventually I walked with a profit of $125. But before I left, I bought a $20 hoops 4-team money line parlay ticket. Here's how it stands now - Oakland a win, Penn State a win, Notre Dame leading by 3 in the second half, Kentucky leading by 17 in the second half. It will pay $72.65 when it hits...
We enjoyed a dinner of Middle Eastern fare - hummus, tabouli, pita bread, lebne and Greek feta cheese. Same as yesterday, but still very tasty.
Right now we're reading and watching some TV, but tomorrow our adventure continues...
So Helen and I headed out the door about 10 a.m. to visit Jo-Ann Fabrics where she wanted to buy some lace trim, ribbon and other items for the two nightgowns she is making for granddaughter Katherine. It's about 10 miles from the apartment. That trip took about 90 minutes and by the time we got home lunch was high on our agenda. I whipped up chicken salad sandwiches for us. Helen settled in to watch her two-hour block of "Desperate Housewives" from noon to 2 p.m.
That was my clue to head over to the Red Rock casino to check out the sports book and blackjack action. I settled in at a $10 table and went up and down and down and down, then up and up and up. Eventually I walked with a profit of $125. But before I left, I bought a $20 hoops 4-team money line parlay ticket. Here's how it stands now - Oakland a win, Penn State a win, Notre Dame leading by 3 in the second half, Kentucky leading by 17 in the second half. It will pay $72.65 when it hits...
We enjoyed a dinner of Middle Eastern fare - hummus, tabouli, pita bread, lebne and Greek feta cheese. Same as yesterday, but still very tasty.
Right now we're reading and watching some TV, but tomorrow our adventure continues...
Monday, March 16, 2009
Poker at MGM & a Weekend Update
Our Monday morning began with a few cups of coffee and me compiling my monthly Casino Entertainment column for the Booth papers. Then I drove to the MGM Grand to play some poker.
I arrived at the MGM at 10 a.m. and immediately got seated in a $1-2 No Limit game. I won a couple of hands early, then lost a couple of big hands when my flush got beaten on the river by a full house. Soon, I had lost my $100 buy-in and decided to buy in for another $100. For several hours I was up and down, up and down.
Shortly after 4 p.m. came a hand that decided my fate for the entire session. I was dealt K-7 of Diamonds and called a $4 bet, along with 2 other guys. The flop came K-7 of Clubs and 10 of Diamonds. Since I had two pair and didn't want to allow someone to get a club flush cheaply, I bet $60 into a pot of about $30. After some thinking, one guy shoves his last $73 into the pot and the next guy calls the bet. I also call the extra $13. Then the turn card, a Q of Hearts, comes. One guy is already all in and the other guy checks, so I check too - hoping my two pair is still good. I was a little worried that one of these guys might have 10-10 for trips. Finally, the river card comes - 7 of spades- giving me a full house.
But I'm still worried about the 10s, so I check and so does the other guy. I take down a $200-plus pot. One guy had A-K, while the other had A-J for a straight. Three hands later, I cashed out with a profit of $190, all from the last hand. I played really well today and lost a couple of nice pots on the river. Overall a great session.
When I got home, we had a Middle Eastern dinner of hummus, tabouli, lebne, Greek olives and pita bread.
Helen hasn't been feeling well the past few days and spent much of the day relaxing and planning her sewing project. Tomorrow we're heading to Jo-Ann Fabrics to get some lace and trim for the nightgown she's making for Katherine.
Sunday, for the first time in a couple of months, we did not go to church. Helen was feeling so lousy Saturday night that she decided to cancel our usual 8 a.m. service at the Lakes Lutheran Church. She did make a few phone calls, read and watched some TV.
About 11 a.m. I went to the Suncoast to check out the hoops games and play a little blackjack. In about 3 hours, I posted a profit of $160.
On Saturday, I spent the day on the Strip watching hoops games. I placed two bets - MSU under the total of 127 (a loser) and NC under 174 (a winner) - so a push on those. I also won $40 playing blackjack...not great, but still a win. My buddy Terry had me play a couple of hockey parlays for him - both lost.
To celebrate our slight profit, Helen and I ordered Cheesecake Factory takeout - a huge Chicken Tostada Salad for her and a Big Five pizza for me. Also two slabs of tasty cheesecake for dessert!!
The weather has been so beautiful the past few days. It hit the mid-70s today and we're planning on checking out the pool area tomorrow if it's not too hot for Helen. The complex has new patio furniture and has completely refurbished the pool area. So it's quite likely that our adventure will continue...
I arrived at the MGM at 10 a.m. and immediately got seated in a $1-2 No Limit game. I won a couple of hands early, then lost a couple of big hands when my flush got beaten on the river by a full house. Soon, I had lost my $100 buy-in and decided to buy in for another $100. For several hours I was up and down, up and down.
Shortly after 4 p.m. came a hand that decided my fate for the entire session. I was dealt K-7 of Diamonds and called a $4 bet, along with 2 other guys. The flop came K-7 of Clubs and 10 of Diamonds. Since I had two pair and didn't want to allow someone to get a club flush cheaply, I bet $60 into a pot of about $30. After some thinking, one guy shoves his last $73 into the pot and the next guy calls the bet. I also call the extra $13. Then the turn card, a Q of Hearts, comes. One guy is already all in and the other guy checks, so I check too - hoping my two pair is still good. I was a little worried that one of these guys might have 10-10 for trips. Finally, the river card comes - 7 of spades- giving me a full house.
But I'm still worried about the 10s, so I check and so does the other guy. I take down a $200-plus pot. One guy had A-K, while the other had A-J for a straight. Three hands later, I cashed out with a profit of $190, all from the last hand. I played really well today and lost a couple of nice pots on the river. Overall a great session.
When I got home, we had a Middle Eastern dinner of hummus, tabouli, lebne, Greek olives and pita bread.
Helen hasn't been feeling well the past few days and spent much of the day relaxing and planning her sewing project. Tomorrow we're heading to Jo-Ann Fabrics to get some lace and trim for the nightgown she's making for Katherine.
Sunday, for the first time in a couple of months, we did not go to church. Helen was feeling so lousy Saturday night that she decided to cancel our usual 8 a.m. service at the Lakes Lutheran Church. She did make a few phone calls, read and watched some TV.
About 11 a.m. I went to the Suncoast to check out the hoops games and play a little blackjack. In about 3 hours, I posted a profit of $160.
On Saturday, I spent the day on the Strip watching hoops games. I placed two bets - MSU under the total of 127 (a loser) and NC under 174 (a winner) - so a push on those. I also won $40 playing blackjack...not great, but still a win. My buddy Terry had me play a couple of hockey parlays for him - both lost.
To celebrate our slight profit, Helen and I ordered Cheesecake Factory takeout - a huge Chicken Tostada Salad for her and a Big Five pizza for me. Also two slabs of tasty cheesecake for dessert!!
The weather has been so beautiful the past few days. It hit the mid-70s today and we're planning on checking out the pool area tomorrow if it's not too hot for Helen. The complex has new patio furniture and has completely refurbished the pool area. So it's quite likely that our adventure will continue...
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Interesting Baseball Bets at the LV Hilton
While I was at the LV Hilton yesterday, I picked up some info on their vast array of bets available for the upcoming MLB season. Here are a few Over/Under Team Win Totals:
Tigers 81.5
Yankees 95.5
Bosox 92.5
Braves 83.5
Cubs 90.5
Mets 89.5
They also offer Individual Performance Bets on players, such as Over/Under pitcher wins:
Josh Beckett 14.5
CC Sabathia 15.5
Jair Jurrjens 12.5
Johan Santana 16.5
No Tigers Listed
Hits Over/Under
Ichiro 203.5
Grady Sizemore 171.5
David Wright 180.5
Josh Hamilton 167.5
No Tigers Listed
Home Runs Over/Under
Miguel Cabrera 33.5
A Rod 35.5
Prince Fielder 35.5
Ryan Howard 43.5
Albert Pujols 34.5
Manny Ramirez 31.5
Odds to Win the HR Title
Ryan Howard 3-1
A Rod 7-1
CABRERA, Pujols, Longoria 12-1
Teixeira 20-1
M. Ramirez 40-1
Carlos Pena, G. Sizemore 75-1
Fun reading as we get ready for the upcoming season...
Tigers 81.5
Yankees 95.5
Bosox 92.5
Braves 83.5
Cubs 90.5
Mets 89.5
They also offer Individual Performance Bets on players, such as Over/Under pitcher wins:
Josh Beckett 14.5
CC Sabathia 15.5
Jair Jurrjens 12.5
Johan Santana 16.5
No Tigers Listed
Hits Over/Under
Ichiro 203.5
Grady Sizemore 171.5
David Wright 180.5
Josh Hamilton 167.5
No Tigers Listed
Home Runs Over/Under
Miguel Cabrera 33.5
A Rod 35.5
Prince Fielder 35.5
Ryan Howard 43.5
Albert Pujols 34.5
Manny Ramirez 31.5
Odds to Win the HR Title
Ryan Howard 3-1
A Rod 7-1
CABRERA, Pujols, Longoria 12-1
Teixeira 20-1
M. Ramirez 40-1
Carlos Pena, G. Sizemore 75-1
Fun reading as we get ready for the upcoming season...
Friday, March 13, 2009
Friday the 13th - Just Another Payday!
Friday the 13th held no special bad luck for me today.
I downed a couple of cups of black coffee and hit the road early, because I wanted to get a $50 bet down on Michigan State. The game started at noon EST, which is 9 a.m. here in the Land of Neon & Free Drinks, so I was out the door shortly after 8 to hit the Suncoast. Got the bet and headed down to the Strip.
My first stop was the Las Vegas Hilton where they have the largest sports book in the world. It's a huge room filled with big screen TVs and betting boards. I put $50 on LSU to beat Kentucky and another $50 on Florida State to whip up on Georgia Tech. It was great watching the games in the atmosphere of a huge sports book. Guys are whooping and hollering on key plays and the electricity is palpable. When the games ended, I won the MSU bet and the LSU bet, but lost on Fla. State.
Lunch at the Hilton was a Cuban sandwich, a tasty grilled pork and ham sandwich on special Cuban bread with cheese and a crunchy pickle. It's grilled on the flat Cuban bread, sort of like a panini. That and a diet Pepsi was about $10.
Then I headed over to the Wynn, just to check out a casino that I hadn't been in for awhile. When the Wynn first opened, I stopped in with my friend Terry to check it out. I have no special memories of the place, except it's high-toned, similar to the Bellagio, one of my favorites on the Strip. But for some reason, I just don't get the same feeling about Wynn.
I walked around the place and played some video poker, but didn't play blackjack. After about an hour, I headed back to the Suncoast to cash the MSU ticket. Before I went into the SC, I checked my finances and found I was down $15 for the day. So I hit the blackjack table and ground out a profit of $110. I picked 6 hoops games and played a $10 parlay that would pay $410, but Wake Forest broke our heart early.
When the dust settled, I was up $85 for the day. Not great, but still a nice day - a winning day and lots of fun watching the hoops games.
While I was gone, Helen spent the day working on her sewing project. She pinned and cut out the fabric for a nightgown for our granddaughter Katherine. Helen also talked with Lisa for a short time.
I got home around 4:30 and relaxed for a while before whipping up a couple of hefty salads - organic mixed greens, red onions, Greek feta cheese, kalamata olives, and roma tomatoes. Now we're watching some TV and wondering what adventures tomorrow will bring...
I downed a couple of cups of black coffee and hit the road early, because I wanted to get a $50 bet down on Michigan State. The game started at noon EST, which is 9 a.m. here in the Land of Neon & Free Drinks, so I was out the door shortly after 8 to hit the Suncoast. Got the bet and headed down to the Strip.
My first stop was the Las Vegas Hilton where they have the largest sports book in the world. It's a huge room filled with big screen TVs and betting boards. I put $50 on LSU to beat Kentucky and another $50 on Florida State to whip up on Georgia Tech. It was great watching the games in the atmosphere of a huge sports book. Guys are whooping and hollering on key plays and the electricity is palpable. When the games ended, I won the MSU bet and the LSU bet, but lost on Fla. State.
Lunch at the Hilton was a Cuban sandwich, a tasty grilled pork and ham sandwich on special Cuban bread with cheese and a crunchy pickle. It's grilled on the flat Cuban bread, sort of like a panini. That and a diet Pepsi was about $10.
Then I headed over to the Wynn, just to check out a casino that I hadn't been in for awhile. When the Wynn first opened, I stopped in with my friend Terry to check it out. I have no special memories of the place, except it's high-toned, similar to the Bellagio, one of my favorites on the Strip. But for some reason, I just don't get the same feeling about Wynn.
I walked around the place and played some video poker, but didn't play blackjack. After about an hour, I headed back to the Suncoast to cash the MSU ticket. Before I went into the SC, I checked my finances and found I was down $15 for the day. So I hit the blackjack table and ground out a profit of $110. I picked 6 hoops games and played a $10 parlay that would pay $410, but Wake Forest broke our heart early.
When the dust settled, I was up $85 for the day. Not great, but still a nice day - a winning day and lots of fun watching the hoops games.
While I was gone, Helen spent the day working on her sewing project. She pinned and cut out the fabric for a nightgown for our granddaughter Katherine. Helen also talked with Lisa for a short time.
I got home around 4:30 and relaxed for a while before whipping up a couple of hefty salads - organic mixed greens, red onions, Greek feta cheese, kalamata olives, and roma tomatoes. Now we're watching some TV and wondering what adventures tomorrow will bring...
Thursday, March 12, 2009
First Big Slot Win!
Early this morning I headed down to the MGM Grand, hoping to play poker.
But there was only a single game going, so I signed up to play at a second table if they got enough players. In the meantime, I found a 25-cent Haywire slot machine to kill some time. I shoved in a $20 and began to play. After a few minutes I hit a Double Logo - 7 -Double Logo and the credits started ringing up 50, 100, 200,400, 600.... finally 640 credits ($160) later it stopped! I cashed out at $175 for a cool profit of $155.
I checked the poker room and still no second game going, so I took down my name and went to the sports book where the basketball tournament games were under way. I put $50 on Michigan -5 over Iowa and made an easy profit when the Wolverines got out to a 20-point halftime lead and won by 28. I watched the whole game and parts of some others before deciding to head home.
But on the way home, I pulled into the Palace Station, which is on Sahara Ave. just west of the Strip. It's owned by the same company that runs the Red Rock Casino near our apt. Anyway, this was my first visit to PS and I played some $5 blackjack, racking up a profit of $80 in about 45 minutes. I decided to call it a day and head home.
Today's profit was $155+$50+80 = $285.
While I was out, Helen began working on her sewing project. She cut out the pattern in preparation to begin cutting the fabric. She read a bit, watched some TV and took a nap.
When I got home, I whipped up some scrambled eggs and hash browns for dinner. Sort of a breakfast dinner thing...
We just got a call from Scott, who has taken a sales rep job with a medical waste disposal company, InServe (sp?). It's a great relief that he's landed the gig, since he's been out of work for almost six months. He went to interview after interview and was doggedly persistent in pursuit of another job. We've VERY proud of him and his tenacity.
Now we're watching TV, relaxing and thinking about what tomorrow's adventures will bring...
But there was only a single game going, so I signed up to play at a second table if they got enough players. In the meantime, I found a 25-cent Haywire slot machine to kill some time. I shoved in a $20 and began to play. After a few minutes I hit a Double Logo - 7 -Double Logo and the credits started ringing up 50, 100, 200,400, 600.... finally 640 credits ($160) later it stopped! I cashed out at $175 for a cool profit of $155.
I checked the poker room and still no second game going, so I took down my name and went to the sports book where the basketball tournament games were under way. I put $50 on Michigan -5 over Iowa and made an easy profit when the Wolverines got out to a 20-point halftime lead and won by 28. I watched the whole game and parts of some others before deciding to head home.
But on the way home, I pulled into the Palace Station, which is on Sahara Ave. just west of the Strip. It's owned by the same company that runs the Red Rock Casino near our apt. Anyway, this was my first visit to PS and I played some $5 blackjack, racking up a profit of $80 in about 45 minutes. I decided to call it a day and head home.
Today's profit was $155+$50+80 = $285.
While I was out, Helen began working on her sewing project. She cut out the pattern in preparation to begin cutting the fabric. She read a bit, watched some TV and took a nap.
When I got home, I whipped up some scrambled eggs and hash browns for dinner. Sort of a breakfast dinner thing...
We just got a call from Scott, who has taken a sales rep job with a medical waste disposal company, InServe (sp?). It's a great relief that he's landed the gig, since he's been out of work for almost six months. He went to interview after interview and was doggedly persistent in pursuit of another job. We've VERY proud of him and his tenacity.
Now we're watching TV, relaxing and thinking about what tomorrow's adventures will bring...
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Rooting for My Hoops Wager
This morning started with several cups of coffee, the morning TV news and me actually writing an article. I did a 600-word feature on Cheryl and Bob Icard, two TC residents who are starting a new business "Bob's West Bay Pate'. The article will appear in the April issue of the TC Business News. I wrote it between 6 and 7:30 this morning and sent it off to the editor, Gayle Neu.
Technology makes it all possible.
Then we watched a little of "The Sopranos" before heading out the door. Every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Helen goes to a Bible Study class at the Lakes Lutheran Church, so I drop her off about 9:45 and head over to the Suncoast Casino for an hour or so. I played a little blackjack, winning only $5 and also won $7 on a 25-cent blackjack video game. Then I left to pick up Helen.
I arrived back at the church at 11:20 and began reading a book I brought, "Everything They Had." It's an outstanding collection of sports-related essays and columns by the noted author David Halberstam. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good quality writing. His unique perspective and his love for sports, especially baseball, is compelling and enjoyable. Every baseball fan should read about "MyDinner With Theodore (Williams)" and "Why Men Love Baseball."
After Helen's class, we headed over to Wal-Mart where she picked up some fabric and other sewing items for a project she's going to begin. She's making two nightgowns for our granddaughter, Katherine.
Then we returned home where I made us a couple of hefty turkey, cheddar and lettuce on pita bread sandwiches. Helen settled in to watch "Desperate Housewives" while I went over to the Red Rock to see if they were giving away money. Nope, not today. Two hours later, I left down $35.
But I do have a $20 5-team hoops teaser bet that will pay $100. My teams are Marquette (already a winner) West Virginia -1 (crushing Notre Dame by 18 as I write this), plus the Utah Jazz +6, the NY Knicks +11 (against the Pistons) and the Lakers +6. GO JAZZ, KNICKS & LAKERS!!
For dinner tonight, we recycled Helen's Chicken BBQ Salad and my Chicken, Mushroom pizza. We also have two huge chunks of cheesecake to snack on in a couple of hours, LOL!
Now we're watching TV and reading, but tomorrow our adventure continues...
Technology makes it all possible.
Then we watched a little of "The Sopranos" before heading out the door. Every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Helen goes to a Bible Study class at the Lakes Lutheran Church, so I drop her off about 9:45 and head over to the Suncoast Casino for an hour or so. I played a little blackjack, winning only $5 and also won $7 on a 25-cent blackjack video game. Then I left to pick up Helen.
I arrived back at the church at 11:20 and began reading a book I brought, "Everything They Had." It's an outstanding collection of sports-related essays and columns by the noted author David Halberstam. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good quality writing. His unique perspective and his love for sports, especially baseball, is compelling and enjoyable. Every baseball fan should read about "MyDinner With Theodore (Williams)" and "Why Men Love Baseball."
After Helen's class, we headed over to Wal-Mart where she picked up some fabric and other sewing items for a project she's going to begin. She's making two nightgowns for our granddaughter, Katherine.
Then we returned home where I made us a couple of hefty turkey, cheddar and lettuce on pita bread sandwiches. Helen settled in to watch "Desperate Housewives" while I went over to the Red Rock to see if they were giving away money. Nope, not today. Two hours later, I left down $35.
But I do have a $20 5-team hoops teaser bet that will pay $100. My teams are Marquette (already a winner) West Virginia -1 (crushing Notre Dame by 18 as I write this), plus the Utah Jazz +6, the NY Knicks +11 (against the Pistons) and the Lakers +6. GO JAZZ, KNICKS & LAKERS!!
For dinner tonight, we recycled Helen's Chicken BBQ Salad and my Chicken, Mushroom pizza. We also have two huge chunks of cheesecake to snack on in a couple of hours, LOL!
Now we're watching TV and reading, but tomorrow our adventure continues...
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Show Tickets and So Much More!
Tuesday morning began, as usual, with a few cups of coffee, the morning TV news and a quick perusal of the online newspapers. Not much going on in the world, it seems.
Helen urged me to go out and earn some money, so I headed down to the Strip. On the way, I was undecided about where, and what games, to play. I parked at Bally's and checked out the poker room where I just didn't like the vibe. There were a few seedy looking guys playing poker and I didn't like the feel of the game, so I went over to Bill's, which was really quiet for 9:30 a.m.
So I headed thru the Flamingo and eventually into Harrah's where I finally sat down to a $5 blackjack game. In about an hour, I ground out a $140 profit and decided to walk. My next stop was the Venetian, where I didn't play at all, but did enjoy a tasty chicken salad sandwich and diet Pepsi.
Helen had talked about wanting to see "Jersey Boys" and at the Venetian, I saw signs advertising the show at the V's sister resort, Palazzo. After searching for a few minutes, I found the ticket booth and bought us two aisle-seat tickets ($103 each) for two weeks from tonight, March 24.
While there, I got the idea that maybe I could win enough at bj to cover the cost of the tickets, so I found a $10 table and began to play. It started slowly, but eventually I was up $100, then $150, then $180 and finally, after about an hour, I was up $240 - time to walk! But before I left, I put $30 into the Megabucks Machine (the jackpot is now $18.5 million) and left when I ran it up to $36 - a $6 profit!
I was really pleased and decided to head back to Bally's, get into the car and head home. After huffing and puffing during the lengthy walk back, I sat down in Bally's and just relaxed for a bit. Then, for some reason, I decided to waddle over to Paris and play just one more bj session. It paid off. I bought in for $100 at a $10 table and within about 45 minutes had run it up to $260.
NOW it was time to head home.
For the 3 blackjack sessions, I won $140 + $240+$160 = $540...what a great day!
While I was gone, Helen was trying to straighten out a billing issue with Charter Communications. What a terrible company that is! She also spent some time reading and watching TV.
When I got home, Helen and I decided to celebrate with takeout from the Cheesecake Factory - BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad for her and a Chicken, Mushroom pizza for me. We had a coupon for a free slab of cheesecake, so we ordered another one too - a Chocolate Raspberry Truffle and a Caramel Pecan Turtle Cheesecake - OOOOH Baby!
Tomorrow we're planning to hit Wal-Mart because Helen wants to start a sewing project and she needs to pick up a pattern there. Visiting Wal-Mart almost guarantees that some sort of adventure will continue...
Helen urged me to go out and earn some money, so I headed down to the Strip. On the way, I was undecided about where, and what games, to play. I parked at Bally's and checked out the poker room where I just didn't like the vibe. There were a few seedy looking guys playing poker and I didn't like the feel of the game, so I went over to Bill's, which was really quiet for 9:30 a.m.
So I headed thru the Flamingo and eventually into Harrah's where I finally sat down to a $5 blackjack game. In about an hour, I ground out a $140 profit and decided to walk. My next stop was the Venetian, where I didn't play at all, but did enjoy a tasty chicken salad sandwich and diet Pepsi.
Helen had talked about wanting to see "Jersey Boys" and at the Venetian, I saw signs advertising the show at the V's sister resort, Palazzo. After searching for a few minutes, I found the ticket booth and bought us two aisle-seat tickets ($103 each) for two weeks from tonight, March 24.
While there, I got the idea that maybe I could win enough at bj to cover the cost of the tickets, so I found a $10 table and began to play. It started slowly, but eventually I was up $100, then $150, then $180 and finally, after about an hour, I was up $240 - time to walk! But before I left, I put $30 into the Megabucks Machine (the jackpot is now $18.5 million) and left when I ran it up to $36 - a $6 profit!
I was really pleased and decided to head back to Bally's, get into the car and head home. After huffing and puffing during the lengthy walk back, I sat down in Bally's and just relaxed for a bit. Then, for some reason, I decided to waddle over to Paris and play just one more bj session. It paid off. I bought in for $100 at a $10 table and within about 45 minutes had run it up to $260.
NOW it was time to head home.
For the 3 blackjack sessions, I won $140 + $240+$160 = $540...what a great day!
While I was gone, Helen was trying to straighten out a billing issue with Charter Communications. What a terrible company that is! She also spent some time reading and watching TV.
When I got home, Helen and I decided to celebrate with takeout from the Cheesecake Factory - BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad for her and a Chicken, Mushroom pizza for me. We had a coupon for a free slab of cheesecake, so we ordered another one too - a Chocolate Raspberry Truffle and a Caramel Pecan Turtle Cheesecake - OOOOH Baby!
Tomorrow we're planning to hit Wal-Mart because Helen wants to start a sewing project and she needs to pick up a pattern there. Visiting Wal-Mart almost guarantees that some sort of adventure will continue...
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Suncoast Gets Burned
This morning, like most of my mornings, began with a ritual of several cups of steamy coffee while reading the Freep, News, Review-Journal, Mlive and Record-Eagle online. We had the Today Show on TV, until 9 a.m. when we got our daily dose of "The Sopranos."
At noon I did a telephone interview with Cheryl and Bob Icard, who are launching Bob's West Bay Pate', a new company that makes salmon and whitefish pate. I'll be writing the article this week for the April issue of the TC Business News. It's the first writing assignment I've in about 3 weeks, since I did my last monthly casino entertainment column for the Booth papers. It was great talking with the Icards and finished the interview in about 30 minutes. The article only needs to be about 600 words long, so a longer interview was not really needed.
By 12:30 it was time for lunch, so I made us some roasted turkey & cheddar sandwiches in pita bread. By this time, Helen had already begun watching "Desperate Housewives" and was on the phone with her friend Gail when I decided to head over to the Suncoast Casino for a blackjack session.
While I was gone, Helen also spoke with her brother Norman and Anna.
I got to the Suncoast at 1 p.m. and didn't immediately see an open seat at a $5 table. The $25 tables were empty and the $5 tables were jammed. Why not turn one of the four vacant $25 tables into a $5 and get some players going? Sometimes it seems like casinos just don't make good economic sense...
While waiting for an open seat, I sat at a 25-cent video blackjack machine and quickly turned $20 into $30.50 - a $10.50 profit.
Then I checked the bj situation and found a table with only 3 other players. I grabbed a seat and immediately started winning. In about 20 minutes, I had $110 profit in front of me and decided to take the money and walk. After cashing in, I checked the sports book, but there were very few hoops games today. I did consider two NBA bets - the Pistons and New Orleans - but didn't pull the trigger.
On the way out, I tried a 10-cent poker machine and slipped in $10. On the first hand, I hit a full house and won $2.50. Even though it was the first hand, I decided to cash out and take the profit. So in less than an hour, I walked out of the Suncoast with $10.50 + $110 + $2.50 - a profit of $123. I don't know how they stay in business...
For dinner tonight, I prepared a fresh sauteed mushrooms in alfredo sauce over penne pasta. Hearty and filling! Now we're just relaxing and reading. A quiet night in Las Vegas, but tomorrow out adventure continues...
At noon I did a telephone interview with Cheryl and Bob Icard, who are launching Bob's West Bay Pate', a new company that makes salmon and whitefish pate. I'll be writing the article this week for the April issue of the TC Business News. It's the first writing assignment I've in about 3 weeks, since I did my last monthly casino entertainment column for the Booth papers. It was great talking with the Icards and finished the interview in about 30 minutes. The article only needs to be about 600 words long, so a longer interview was not really needed.
By 12:30 it was time for lunch, so I made us some roasted turkey & cheddar sandwiches in pita bread. By this time, Helen had already begun watching "Desperate Housewives" and was on the phone with her friend Gail when I decided to head over to the Suncoast Casino for a blackjack session.
While I was gone, Helen also spoke with her brother Norman and Anna.
I got to the Suncoast at 1 p.m. and didn't immediately see an open seat at a $5 table. The $25 tables were empty and the $5 tables were jammed. Why not turn one of the four vacant $25 tables into a $5 and get some players going? Sometimes it seems like casinos just don't make good economic sense...
While waiting for an open seat, I sat at a 25-cent video blackjack machine and quickly turned $20 into $30.50 - a $10.50 profit.
Then I checked the bj situation and found a table with only 3 other players. I grabbed a seat and immediately started winning. In about 20 minutes, I had $110 profit in front of me and decided to take the money and walk. After cashing in, I checked the sports book, but there were very few hoops games today. I did consider two NBA bets - the Pistons and New Orleans - but didn't pull the trigger.
On the way out, I tried a 10-cent poker machine and slipped in $10. On the first hand, I hit a full house and won $2.50. Even though it was the first hand, I decided to cash out and take the profit. So in less than an hour, I walked out of the Suncoast with $10.50 + $110 + $2.50 - a profit of $123. I don't know how they stay in business...
For dinner tonight, I prepared a fresh sauteed mushrooms in alfredo sauce over penne pasta. Hearty and filling! Now we're just relaxing and reading. A quiet night in Las Vegas, but tomorrow out adventure continues...
Meeting the Daughter of the Ex-Lions' QB
Our Sunday began in a typical quiet fashion, with an 8 a.m. service at the Lakes Lutheran Church.
Because of the time change, both Helen and I were moving a bit slowly. After church Helen sent me down to the Strip to see if any of the casinos were giving away money and, surprisingly, some of them were.
I parked at Bally's and checked the poker room, but found nothing interesting there and a line of 6 names ahead of me. So I crossed Flamingo and strolled into Bill's Gambling Hall where I won $25 playing blackjack. At the same table was a young couple from Grand Rapids who were here for a 4-day trip. The young guy was pretty surprised that I was here for five months and didn't think he could possibly "do Vegas" for that long. While at Bill's I also made a $30 hoops bet - NC and Duke to score under 165 points. That was a winner for $27 + $30.
Then I walked down through the Imperial Palace and into Harrah's where I sat down alone at a $5 table. The dealer, Heather, did the usual chitchat about "where are you from?" and I told her Michigan. She asked if I had grown up there and I said yes.
"Maybe you've heard of my Dad," she said. "He was a quarterback for the Lions back in the '60s."
"Oh really, what's his name."
"Karl Sweetan."
Of course, I had heard of Karl Sweetan. Right away I told her I best remembered him for a 99-yard TD pass to Pat Studstill.
She explained that her Dad later played for the Rams, then in Canada and finally ended up back in Las Vegas as a dealer himself. He died young, at 57, of heart troubles. She's followed in his footsteps in the gaming industry. She seemed sort of sad and mentioned that she really didn't have anything from her Dad's FB career, except one football card. Her older brother, who she doesn't speak with, got the other stuff and eventually sold it, she said.
Anyway, I ended up losing $100 at Harrah's and said goodbye to the Ex-Lions' QB's daughter.
I continued my trek to the Venetian where I played bj and won back the $100, finishing the day with a profit of $25 from blackjack and $27 from my hoops wager. A fun, interesting day on the Strip.
While I was strolling the Strip, Helen was on the phone with Natalie, watching TV and reading. I got home about 4:30 and made us a five-cheese lasagna dinner (thanks Stouffers!) with a salad. Very tasty.
Today our adventure continues...
Because of the time change, both Helen and I were moving a bit slowly. After church Helen sent me down to the Strip to see if any of the casinos were giving away money and, surprisingly, some of them were.
I parked at Bally's and checked the poker room, but found nothing interesting there and a line of 6 names ahead of me. So I crossed Flamingo and strolled into Bill's Gambling Hall where I won $25 playing blackjack. At the same table was a young couple from Grand Rapids who were here for a 4-day trip. The young guy was pretty surprised that I was here for five months and didn't think he could possibly "do Vegas" for that long. While at Bill's I also made a $30 hoops bet - NC and Duke to score under 165 points. That was a winner for $27 + $30.
Then I walked down through the Imperial Palace and into Harrah's where I sat down alone at a $5 table. The dealer, Heather, did the usual chitchat about "where are you from?" and I told her Michigan. She asked if I had grown up there and I said yes.
"Maybe you've heard of my Dad," she said. "He was a quarterback for the Lions back in the '60s."
"Oh really, what's his name."
"Karl Sweetan."
Of course, I had heard of Karl Sweetan. Right away I told her I best remembered him for a 99-yard TD pass to Pat Studstill.
She explained that her Dad later played for the Rams, then in Canada and finally ended up back in Las Vegas as a dealer himself. He died young, at 57, of heart troubles. She's followed in his footsteps in the gaming industry. She seemed sort of sad and mentioned that she really didn't have anything from her Dad's FB career, except one football card. Her older brother, who she doesn't speak with, got the other stuff and eventually sold it, she said.
Anyway, I ended up losing $100 at Harrah's and said goodbye to the Ex-Lions' QB's daughter.
I continued my trek to the Venetian where I played bj and won back the $100, finishing the day with a profit of $25 from blackjack and $27 from my hoops wager. A fun, interesting day on the Strip.
While I was strolling the Strip, Helen was on the phone with Natalie, watching TV and reading. I got home about 4:30 and made us a five-cheese lasagna dinner (thanks Stouffers!) with a salad. Very tasty.
Today our adventure continues...
Saturday, March 7, 2009
How Do These Joints Stay in Business?
Saturday morning started about 8 a.m. with me heading over to Albertson's to pick up some groceries, including salad fixings, flavored water, fruit, yogurt, pasta and other items.
By 9:15 or so, I was home unloading the groceries and wondering which casino to visit today. I targeted Bally's, since I haven't had much luck in the MGM poker room in the past two days. So I drove to Bally's and checked out the poker room. It was busy, with a waiting list of 7 names ahead of mine, so I wandered over to a $10 blackjack table and began to play.
The first couple of shoes was up and down. No real profit or loss. There was one other guy playing at the table with me and we were both staying even. Then the cards turned in our favor. We both started winning and the dealer started busting for us. Eventually, I pressed my bets up to $15, then $20, then $25 a hand. One key hand happened when I bet $25 and I was dealt a pair of 3s to the dealer's 6. The proper play here is to split the 3s and hopefully catch a 6-7-8 to double down. Instead I got another 3, so eventually I ended up with 3 hands (13, 13 and 14) with $25 bet on each. Luckily the dealer had a 10 in the hole and slapped an 8 on top for the Bust - $75 in one sweet hand!
Another fun hand happened when I bet $25 and received two Aces - against the dealer's 7. I split the Aces (at $25 each) and received two face cards for a $50 hand!
I quickly tallied my profit and walked away with $325, vowing not to give any of it back today. So I wandered to the Paris sports book and made two hoops bets for myself, winning one and losing one. I also made some bets for my friend Terry, who wanted a 6-team hockey parlay and a bet on Mark Martin in tomorrow's Nascar Race. Good Luck on those, T!
While I was at Bally's, Helen was on the phone with her sister Natalie. She also did some reading and watched some TV.
We just finished dinner - two hefty salads with organic mixed greens, roma tomatoes, Greek feta cheese, and avocados. Now we're relaxing in front of the TV and wondering what our next adventures will be...
By 9:15 or so, I was home unloading the groceries and wondering which casino to visit today. I targeted Bally's, since I haven't had much luck in the MGM poker room in the past two days. So I drove to Bally's and checked out the poker room. It was busy, with a waiting list of 7 names ahead of mine, so I wandered over to a $10 blackjack table and began to play.
The first couple of shoes was up and down. No real profit or loss. There was one other guy playing at the table with me and we were both staying even. Then the cards turned in our favor. We both started winning and the dealer started busting for us. Eventually, I pressed my bets up to $15, then $20, then $25 a hand. One key hand happened when I bet $25 and I was dealt a pair of 3s to the dealer's 6. The proper play here is to split the 3s and hopefully catch a 6-7-8 to double down. Instead I got another 3, so eventually I ended up with 3 hands (13, 13 and 14) with $25 bet on each. Luckily the dealer had a 10 in the hole and slapped an 8 on top for the Bust - $75 in one sweet hand!
Another fun hand happened when I bet $25 and received two Aces - against the dealer's 7. I split the Aces (at $25 each) and received two face cards for a $50 hand!
I quickly tallied my profit and walked away with $325, vowing not to give any of it back today. So I wandered to the Paris sports book and made two hoops bets for myself, winning one and losing one. I also made some bets for my friend Terry, who wanted a 6-team hockey parlay and a bet on Mark Martin in tomorrow's Nascar Race. Good Luck on those, T!
While I was at Bally's, Helen was on the phone with her sister Natalie. She also did some reading and watched some TV.
We just finished dinner - two hefty salads with organic mixed greens, roma tomatoes, Greek feta cheese, and avocados. Now we're relaxing in front of the TV and wondering what our next adventures will be...
Friday, March 6, 2009
Blackjack Saves The Day
Helen insisted that I head down to the MGM Grand and try to separate some poker-playing tourists from their cash, so by 9 a.m. this morning I was pulling into the casino's huge parking deck.
It's quite a walk from the parking deck to the poker room, but it's good exercise and gives me a chance to concentrate on how I want to play when I hit the table. When I arrived, I was able to get immediate seating at a $1-2 No Limit table. I was in the #10 seat, to the immediate right of the dealer.
I decided that instead of my usual $100 buy-in, I would buy in for $50 and play conservative "short stack" poker. On my very first hand, I looked down and saw Q-Q, a sweet starting hand.
I bet $6 and got two callers. The flop came J-7-3 of different suits. I bet $10 and one of the two callers went All-In, causing me to shove the rest of my $50 buy-in into the pot. Since there was only two of us, we showed our cards - he had Ace-Ace! I got no help on the turn or river, so after one hand I was already rebuying another $50...aaaargh!!! Not the way I hoped this session would start.
I continued playing for over 2 hours with the second $50 and actually built it up to $75 or so at one point. But eventually I got caught with another big hand. I got dealt K-J and the flop came A-K-J. I had about $45 at the time and immediately went All-In because I didn't want someone holding a Q or 10 to catch the straight against me. Well, my bet got little respect, because two other callers, some old guy (even older than me) and a woman from Texas went All In too!
We all showed our cards and Mr. Geezer had A-K (for two bigger pair) and Texas Lil had A-4 both of Clubs. The turn and the river were both Clubs, giving Texas Lil a flush and sending me and Mr. Geezer heading for the door.
I was down $100 and went to the sports book to check the hoops action. Nothing there caught my eye, so I strolled to a $10 blackjack table where two other people were playing. I won the first couple of hands and things were looking up. Then I hit a couple of double downs and before I knew it, I was up $135 - regaining all my poker losses, plus a little profit. Time to quit.
I headed home, bruised but unbeaten today. To celebrate, Helen and I ordered a large deep dish pizza from Papa Johns. TASTY!
While I was at the MGM, Helen was on the phone with Anna and Gail, who kept telling her how much fun she had visiting us two weeks ago. It was fun having Gail with us and I hope she'll plan another mid-winter getaway next year.
Tonight we're watching some TV and relaxing, but tomorrow our adventure will continue...
It's quite a walk from the parking deck to the poker room, but it's good exercise and gives me a chance to concentrate on how I want to play when I hit the table. When I arrived, I was able to get immediate seating at a $1-2 No Limit table. I was in the #10 seat, to the immediate right of the dealer.
I decided that instead of my usual $100 buy-in, I would buy in for $50 and play conservative "short stack" poker. On my very first hand, I looked down and saw Q-Q, a sweet starting hand.
I bet $6 and got two callers. The flop came J-7-3 of different suits. I bet $10 and one of the two callers went All-In, causing me to shove the rest of my $50 buy-in into the pot. Since there was only two of us, we showed our cards - he had Ace-Ace! I got no help on the turn or river, so after one hand I was already rebuying another $50...aaaargh!!! Not the way I hoped this session would start.
I continued playing for over 2 hours with the second $50 and actually built it up to $75 or so at one point. But eventually I got caught with another big hand. I got dealt K-J and the flop came A-K-J. I had about $45 at the time and immediately went All-In because I didn't want someone holding a Q or 10 to catch the straight against me. Well, my bet got little respect, because two other callers, some old guy (even older than me) and a woman from Texas went All In too!
We all showed our cards and Mr. Geezer had A-K (for two bigger pair) and Texas Lil had A-4 both of Clubs. The turn and the river were both Clubs, giving Texas Lil a flush and sending me and Mr. Geezer heading for the door.
I was down $100 and went to the sports book to check the hoops action. Nothing there caught my eye, so I strolled to a $10 blackjack table where two other people were playing. I won the first couple of hands and things were looking up. Then I hit a couple of double downs and before I knew it, I was up $135 - regaining all my poker losses, plus a little profit. Time to quit.
I headed home, bruised but unbeaten today. To celebrate, Helen and I ordered a large deep dish pizza from Papa Johns. TASTY!
While I was at the MGM, Helen was on the phone with Anna and Gail, who kept telling her how much fun she had visiting us two weeks ago. It was fun having Gail with us and I hope she'll plan another mid-winter getaway next year.
Tonight we're watching some TV and relaxing, but tomorrow our adventure will continue...
Thursday, March 5, 2009
MGM Not-So-Grand Poker
Helen sent me to the MGM Grand to play poker this morning.
I arrived at 9 a.m. and immediately took a seat at a $1-2 No Limit game. Some nine hours later, I left a $70 loser. I lost several nice hands that could have turned the tables - my K-high Flush lost to an Ace-high flush, my 3 9s lost to 3 10s, my flopped straight lost to a flush on the river. Any of those hands could have turned me from a Loser to a Winner. Other times, I got good hands, but no one played, so I won a small pot of only $10-15. But that's poker...we'll try again.
One guy at the table, another local, had been playing since 1:30 a.m. and had amassed a stack of $1,000 or so. By the time I left, he had built it to $2,300-2,400 and was still at it when I left.
While I was gone, Helen spent the day on the phone with her sister Natalie and Norm's wife Lorraine. She also did some reading and watching TV.
When I got home, I plated up some Middle Eastern fare - pita bread, tabouli, hummus, lebne and Kalamata olives. No fuss, but plenty tasty.
Tonight Helen's on the phone with brother Norm and soon we'll be watching the NBC comedy shows - Earl, The Office, 30 Rock. There may be a big bowl of popcorn consumed too...
The weeks seem to be flying by. It's almost the weekend again and our adventure is still continuing...
I arrived at 9 a.m. and immediately took a seat at a $1-2 No Limit game. Some nine hours later, I left a $70 loser. I lost several nice hands that could have turned the tables - my K-high Flush lost to an Ace-high flush, my 3 9s lost to 3 10s, my flopped straight lost to a flush on the river. Any of those hands could have turned me from a Loser to a Winner. Other times, I got good hands, but no one played, so I won a small pot of only $10-15. But that's poker...we'll try again.
One guy at the table, another local, had been playing since 1:30 a.m. and had amassed a stack of $1,000 or so. By the time I left, he had built it to $2,300-2,400 and was still at it when I left.
While I was gone, Helen spent the day on the phone with her sister Natalie and Norm's wife Lorraine. She also did some reading and watching TV.
When I got home, I plated up some Middle Eastern fare - pita bread, tabouli, hummus, lebne and Kalamata olives. No fuss, but plenty tasty.
Tonight Helen's on the phone with brother Norm and soon we'll be watching the NBC comedy shows - Earl, The Office, 30 Rock. There may be a big bowl of popcorn consumed too...
The weeks seem to be flying by. It's almost the weekend again and our adventure is still continuing...
Baseball Future Bets -- Win Total Over/Under
I picked up a free sports gambling paper yesterday and it listed MLB win totals from a joint called Lucky's Race & Sports Book. I haven't seen any numbers yet from the major casinos, but here's a few teams that Lucky's has:
Tigers - 78.5
Yankees - 96.5
Red Sox - 94.5
Cubs - 93.5
Mets, Angels - 91.5
Phillies - 90.5
Rays - 88.5
Twins - 87.5
Indians - 83.5
Braves - 81.5
Padres, Nationals - 63.5
Enjoy...
Tigers - 78.5
Yankees - 96.5
Red Sox - 94.5
Cubs - 93.5
Mets, Angels - 91.5
Phillies - 90.5
Rays - 88.5
Twins - 87.5
Indians - 83.5
Braves - 81.5
Padres, Nationals - 63.5
Enjoy...
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Up, Then Down
Our Wednesday began with Helen and I watching part of "The Sopranos" reruns that show here at 9 a.m. every weekday.
Then about 9:40, we left Tony S. and his boys so I could take Helen to her 10 a.m. Bible Study Class at the Lakes Lutheran Church. While she was studying the gospel, I was studying the blackjack table at the Red Rock Casino. I settled into a $5 game and played for about an hour, winning $15.
One of the highlights of this session was talking with a dealer, Steve, who grew up in Grand Rapids. When he learned I was from Traverse City, he remembered playing against the Trojans ("Coach Ooley, right?") while he was in high school. He asked what I did for a living and I explained that I was retired, but still doing some freelance writing. In fact, I told him, I write a casino entertainment column for the Booth Papers, including the GR Press. He said he reads Mlive all the time and will look for my writing in the future. Small world...
I picked Helen up at 11:45 and we came back to the apt. to eat lunch, Middle Eastern fare of hummus, pita bread, tabouli and lebne.
Then it was time for Helen to visit the "Desperate Housewives" so I headed over to the Suncoast to see if they were still giving away money. That was not the case. For almost four hours, I struggled in a $10 game and came away a $70 loser. The cards were just not falling and I could have lost a lot more, if not for a couple of fortunate doubledowns that went my way.
Anyway, one of the guys at the table claimed he was a golfing buddy of poker stars Phil Ivey and Eric Lindgren. He was telling us how Ivey made a $9 million moneyline bet on the Patriots to win the 2008 SuperBowl. Whether or not it's true, this guy claims Ivey is still making payments on the losing wager.
While I was gone, Helen kept busy reading "Murder By Manicure," a mystery in which the heroine is a Florida hair stylist. I got home about 5:30 and recycled our Italian sweet sausage and rice for dinner. It was still pretty tasty and filling.
Now we're watching some TV and relaxing. Another great day in Las Vegas where tomorrow our adventure will continue...
Then about 9:40, we left Tony S. and his boys so I could take Helen to her 10 a.m. Bible Study Class at the Lakes Lutheran Church. While she was studying the gospel, I was studying the blackjack table at the Red Rock Casino. I settled into a $5 game and played for about an hour, winning $15.
One of the highlights of this session was talking with a dealer, Steve, who grew up in Grand Rapids. When he learned I was from Traverse City, he remembered playing against the Trojans ("Coach Ooley, right?") while he was in high school. He asked what I did for a living and I explained that I was retired, but still doing some freelance writing. In fact, I told him, I write a casino entertainment column for the Booth Papers, including the GR Press. He said he reads Mlive all the time and will look for my writing in the future. Small world...
I picked Helen up at 11:45 and we came back to the apt. to eat lunch, Middle Eastern fare of hummus, pita bread, tabouli and lebne.
Then it was time for Helen to visit the "Desperate Housewives" so I headed over to the Suncoast to see if they were still giving away money. That was not the case. For almost four hours, I struggled in a $10 game and came away a $70 loser. The cards were just not falling and I could have lost a lot more, if not for a couple of fortunate doubledowns that went my way.
Anyway, one of the guys at the table claimed he was a golfing buddy of poker stars Phil Ivey and Eric Lindgren. He was telling us how Ivey made a $9 million moneyline bet on the Patriots to win the 2008 SuperBowl. Whether or not it's true, this guy claims Ivey is still making payments on the losing wager.
While I was gone, Helen kept busy reading "Murder By Manicure," a mystery in which the heroine is a Florida hair stylist. I got home about 5:30 and recycled our Italian sweet sausage and rice for dinner. It was still pretty tasty and filling.
Now we're watching some TV and relaxing. Another great day in Las Vegas where tomorrow our adventure will continue...
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Taken by 'Taken'
Today began, as usual, with coffee and morning TV news. Nothing much happening newswise in LV, but the weather has been spectacular with today's high hitting 76.
Helen sent me down to Bally's to play some poker. I arrived at 9:30, but the poker room only had one 1-2 No-Limit game going and there were 5 names ahead of me on the list. I gave my player's card to Tom, the room manager, and urged him to open up another game. He hemmed and hawed, but didn't take my suggestion. So I ended up waiting 45 minutes before I finally got a seat in the game.
I played for about 2 hours and ground out a profit of $60. No huge hands, never went all-in. My best hand was 3 Js which netted me a pot of about $30. Some days are like that and winning $60 at poker is still more fun that digging ditches for $60.
While I was gone, Helen read and watched her daily dose of "Desperate Housewives."
I got home at 2 p.m. because Helen and I planned to go see "Taken" at a 3:15 matinee at the Suncoast theater. We got to the casino at 2:45 and bought the tickets, which were discounted to $3 each for seniors (anyone over 60) with a players club card. While we waited to go into the theater, I tucked $5 into a 5-cent video poker machine and ran it up to $5.50. A COOL 10% profit in less than 5 minutes!!! How's that for a great investment?
The movie was a real action-thriller and Helen and I both enjoyed it. Liam Neeson plays a retired CIA operative whose 17-year-old daughter is abducted and sold into sex slavery. He bashes and smashes his way across Paris in pursuit of his daughter's abductors. Lots of maiming and misery as he tracks down the bad guys. It was a great way to spend an afternoon.
Tonight's dinner was Middle Eastern fare - pita bread, hummus, tabouli, lebne and Greek feta cheese. Tasty and filling. Now we're just relaxing at the apt. and watching some TV, but tomorrow our adventure will continue...
Helen sent me down to Bally's to play some poker. I arrived at 9:30, but the poker room only had one 1-2 No-Limit game going and there were 5 names ahead of me on the list. I gave my player's card to Tom, the room manager, and urged him to open up another game. He hemmed and hawed, but didn't take my suggestion. So I ended up waiting 45 minutes before I finally got a seat in the game.
I played for about 2 hours and ground out a profit of $60. No huge hands, never went all-in. My best hand was 3 Js which netted me a pot of about $30. Some days are like that and winning $60 at poker is still more fun that digging ditches for $60.
While I was gone, Helen read and watched her daily dose of "Desperate Housewives."
I got home at 2 p.m. because Helen and I planned to go see "Taken" at a 3:15 matinee at the Suncoast theater. We got to the casino at 2:45 and bought the tickets, which were discounted to $3 each for seniors (anyone over 60) with a players club card. While we waited to go into the theater, I tucked $5 into a 5-cent video poker machine and ran it up to $5.50. A COOL 10% profit in less than 5 minutes!!! How's that for a great investment?
The movie was a real action-thriller and Helen and I both enjoyed it. Liam Neeson plays a retired CIA operative whose 17-year-old daughter is abducted and sold into sex slavery. He bashes and smashes his way across Paris in pursuit of his daughter's abductors. Lots of maiming and misery as he tracks down the bad guys. It was a great way to spend an afternoon.
Tonight's dinner was Middle Eastern fare - pita bread, hummus, tabouli, lebne and Greek feta cheese. Tasty and filling. Now we're just relaxing at the apt. and watching some TV, but tomorrow our adventure will continue...
Monday, March 2, 2009
The Survey Results Are In and the Winner Is...
Our Monday morning began with several cups of coffee leisurely enjoyed as the Today show's Matt and Meredith fretted repeatedly over the snowstorm belting the East Coast.
Little mention of the zero-and-below temps that have settled like a frigid blanket over Traverse City, but my God, let 6 inches of snow fall in NYC and you'd think it was the beginning of the Apocalypse.
About 10 a.m., Helen and I headed out to find her some summer sandals. We drove to a nearby shopping center, Boca Park, and went to Famous Footwear, where she managed to find three pair of summer shoes. She was pretty happy and I was happy that she was happy. When it comes to shoe shopping, I'd rather be elsewhere, but for my baby...
We were home by 11:15 or so and Helen was making plans to watch her daily 2-hour dose of "Desperate Housewives" so I headed over to the Suncoast for awhile. I found a seat at a $5 blackjack table and in about 90 minutes, I cranked out a profit of $60. Then I headed to the sportsbook where a cart sells hotdogs for 75 cents each. Lunch was a dog with mustard & relish, plus a diet Coke. I checked out the hoops games tonight, but it's a slim docket and nothing stood out. Maybe tomorrow.
On the way home, I stopped by the Middle Eastern Market and picked up some fresh pita bread, lebne, hummus, tabouli and Greek feta cheese. That'll be dinner tomorrow night.
When I picked up the mail, I found the results of a Wellington Meadows Resident Opinion Survey. It's a pretty detailed report, but here are a few of the highlights:
--88% of residents like the people who live here.
--92% of residents say they are pleased living at Wellington Meadows.
--99% of residents say they would renew their lease if it were up today.
--100% of residents would recommend to a friend.
These numbers just reinforce everything we feel about this complex and the people who manage it. We are so lucky to be in a safe, secure unit that has a real community feel to it.
While I was at the Suncoast, Helen got her toes all summery with a pedicure. She also did some reading and, of course, watched those Wily Women of Wisteria Lane.
For dinner tonight, I made rice, then grilled some Italian sweet sausage, sauteed onions, garlic and red peppers. The rice went into a bowl, topped by the onions, peppers and grilled sausage. It's a hearty, tasty meal. I made a huge amount, so we'll probably have it for leftovers.
Tonight we're just reading and watching some TV, but tomorrow we're planning on seeing a movie at the Suncoast, so I'm confident our adventure continues...
Little mention of the zero-and-below temps that have settled like a frigid blanket over Traverse City, but my God, let 6 inches of snow fall in NYC and you'd think it was the beginning of the Apocalypse.
About 10 a.m., Helen and I headed out to find her some summer sandals. We drove to a nearby shopping center, Boca Park, and went to Famous Footwear, where she managed to find three pair of summer shoes. She was pretty happy and I was happy that she was happy. When it comes to shoe shopping, I'd rather be elsewhere, but for my baby...
We were home by 11:15 or so and Helen was making plans to watch her daily 2-hour dose of "Desperate Housewives" so I headed over to the Suncoast for awhile. I found a seat at a $5 blackjack table and in about 90 minutes, I cranked out a profit of $60. Then I headed to the sportsbook where a cart sells hotdogs for 75 cents each. Lunch was a dog with mustard & relish, plus a diet Coke. I checked out the hoops games tonight, but it's a slim docket and nothing stood out. Maybe tomorrow.
On the way home, I stopped by the Middle Eastern Market and picked up some fresh pita bread, lebne, hummus, tabouli and Greek feta cheese. That'll be dinner tomorrow night.
When I picked up the mail, I found the results of a Wellington Meadows Resident Opinion Survey. It's a pretty detailed report, but here are a few of the highlights:
--88% of residents like the people who live here.
--92% of residents say they are pleased living at Wellington Meadows.
--99% of residents say they would renew their lease if it were up today.
--100% of residents would recommend to a friend.
These numbers just reinforce everything we feel about this complex and the people who manage it. We are so lucky to be in a safe, secure unit that has a real community feel to it.
While I was at the Suncoast, Helen got her toes all summery with a pedicure. She also did some reading and, of course, watched those Wily Women of Wisteria Lane.
For dinner tonight, I made rice, then grilled some Italian sweet sausage, sauteed onions, garlic and red peppers. The rice went into a bowl, topped by the onions, peppers and grilled sausage. It's a hearty, tasty meal. I made a huge amount, so we'll probably have it for leftovers.
Tonight we're just reading and watching some TV, but tomorrow we're planning on seeing a movie at the Suncoast, so I'm confident our adventure continues...
How Do They Stay in Business?
This was a very fun weekend in Las Vegas, where the weather has been OUTSTANDING - 70+ and sunny for the past 3 days.
The highlight was Sunday night when Helen and I went to an amazing concert by Kenny Wayne Shepherd. If you're not familiar with this guitar wizard, he's a blues/rocker somewhat reminiscent to Stevie Ray Vaughn. In fact, his drummer played with SRV in the band Double Trouble. The drummer, along with two other members of the 5-man group, are from Austin, TX, a well-known musical hotbed. Shepherd is from Louisiana, while the lead singer is from Cincinnati.
The concert was at the Orleans, a locals casino located a mile or so west of the Strip on Tropicana. It's a really comfortable venue and Helen and I had great seats - 5th row on the center aisle. For the 8 p.m. concert, we arrived around 6 and had dinner at TGI Fridays - chicken fajitas for me and a grilled chicken salad for my date. We had a half-hour or so to kill before going into the showroom, so I played a little blackjack. That worked well - 1st hand was a blackjack and we won four or five in a row. In about 10 minutes, I walked with a profit of $65. For kicks, we played $5 in a Deuces Wild 5-cent poker game and frittered that away.
Earlier on Sunday, I spent about 3 hours at the Suncoast, winning $125 in blackjack, and watching the MSU victory over Illinois. I should have made a big bet on the Spartans, but didn't have that much confidence in them. I thoughtthey might stumble against the Illini, but they looked solid, leading almost all the way.
On Saturday I had a winning poker session at Ballys, a profit of $80 with no Big Hands. Just a solid session, picking up a few pots of $30-40 with two pair as my biggest hand.
To celebrate, dinner was takeout from the local Cheesecake Factory. Helen had her favorite BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad and I opted for CF's huge & tangy Buffalo Wings. To quote that great food philosopher Rachel Ray, "YUM-O!"
While I was at Bally's, Helen was busy around the apartment, doing laundry and talking with friends and family.
Another thing she did was go through all the previous blogs and total up how much money I've won during our trip. From Jan. 1 2009 to date, I've plussed up $2,374. Naturally, we've been busy stimulating the economy with that - ya know, paying rent, eating, shopping, etc. But that's a pretty good total for roughly two months. I've always had sort of a goal of a $30-40 profit per day (or $1,000 a month) to cover the rent and it looks like we've done that so far. With March and April still to come, I hope we can keep up our winning ways...
Today Helen would like to go shoe shopping, so I'm pretty sure our adventure will continue...
The highlight was Sunday night when Helen and I went to an amazing concert by Kenny Wayne Shepherd. If you're not familiar with this guitar wizard, he's a blues/rocker somewhat reminiscent to Stevie Ray Vaughn. In fact, his drummer played with SRV in the band Double Trouble. The drummer, along with two other members of the 5-man group, are from Austin, TX, a well-known musical hotbed. Shepherd is from Louisiana, while the lead singer is from Cincinnati.
The concert was at the Orleans, a locals casino located a mile or so west of the Strip on Tropicana. It's a really comfortable venue and Helen and I had great seats - 5th row on the center aisle. For the 8 p.m. concert, we arrived around 6 and had dinner at TGI Fridays - chicken fajitas for me and a grilled chicken salad for my date. We had a half-hour or so to kill before going into the showroom, so I played a little blackjack. That worked well - 1st hand was a blackjack and we won four or five in a row. In about 10 minutes, I walked with a profit of $65. For kicks, we played $5 in a Deuces Wild 5-cent poker game and frittered that away.
Earlier on Sunday, I spent about 3 hours at the Suncoast, winning $125 in blackjack, and watching the MSU victory over Illinois. I should have made a big bet on the Spartans, but didn't have that much confidence in them. I thoughtthey might stumble against the Illini, but they looked solid, leading almost all the way.
On Saturday I had a winning poker session at Ballys, a profit of $80 with no Big Hands. Just a solid session, picking up a few pots of $30-40 with two pair as my biggest hand.
To celebrate, dinner was takeout from the local Cheesecake Factory. Helen had her favorite BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad and I opted for CF's huge & tangy Buffalo Wings. To quote that great food philosopher Rachel Ray, "YUM-O!"
While I was at Bally's, Helen was busy around the apartment, doing laundry and talking with friends and family.
Another thing she did was go through all the previous blogs and total up how much money I've won during our trip. From Jan. 1 2009 to date, I've plussed up $2,374. Naturally, we've been busy stimulating the economy with that - ya know, paying rent, eating, shopping, etc. But that's a pretty good total for roughly two months. I've always had sort of a goal of a $30-40 profit per day (or $1,000 a month) to cover the rent and it looks like we've done that so far. With March and April still to come, I hope we can keep up our winning ways...
Today Helen would like to go shoe shopping, so I'm pretty sure our adventure will continue...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)